Prison riot in Mexico

Updated 10.56 Thu Jan 17 2008

Keywords: riot, prison, mexico city, mexico, world

More than a dozen guards have been held hostage after a riot at a prison in Mexico City.

The attorney general's office said 16 guards were held at the Neza-Bordo prison.

"The last director was better than this" - inmate's relative

Six of the hostages were later taken to hospital.

Reports claim some prisoners were prevented from escaping and reacted by starting the riot that involved more than 700 inmates.

Over 500 officers from Mexico's state security agency tried to bring the situation under control and used tear gas against the prisoners.

Outside the prison, a relative of one of the inmates said: "This is very bad, really bad, the last director was better than this, and the last deputy director, usually came and faced us, not like this. Listen to the gunshots, look how many are coming."

Reports said the riot ended after more than four hours.